| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-cladding Interface
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| Presentation Title |
Observations from Microscopy on High Burnup Light Water Reactor Fuel Before and After LOCA Testing |
| Author(s) |
Jason M. Harp, Rachel L Seibert, Jesse W Werden, Chad M Parish, Tyler J Gerczak, Nathan A Capps |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jason M. Harp |
| Abstract Scope |
The economic desire to increase light water reactor (LWR) discharge burnup limits has been challenged by the observation of the phenomenon known as high burnup fuel fragmentation (HBFF) that was detected during loss of coolant accident (LOCA) testing of fuel operated under certain end of life linear heat generation rate and burnup conditions. The exact cause of HBFF is still an active area of investigation in the nuclear fuel community. Considerable investigation has been performed to find the operation envelope that results in HBFF, but this integral testing has not revealed the microstructural conditions that make fuel susceptible to HBFF. To further study the phenomenological origin of HBFF, microscopy has been performed on high burnup (63.2 GWd/MTU) uranium oxide LWR fuel on samples from a fuel segment before and after LOCA furnace testing. This data will provide microstructural information that may provide insight into the mechanisms that drive HBFF. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Characterization, |